As the skilled nursing industry steadily moves toward an Oct. 1 deadline for changes to the Minimum Data Set (MDS), operators are stressing the importance of training staff to help accurately code under the new system, a byproduct of the switch to the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM). While details of the most notable shift […]
Dr. Shari Ling, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Thursday confirmed that the agency will release a proposed minimum staffing standard for nursing homes this spring, and said that CMS is taking the comments and the data on staffing very seriously. “CMS is working on and has […]
The White House today announced that President Biden will enact “the most sweeping set of executive actions to improve care in history,” which will include directives related to nursing home staffing and Medicare payments. Specifically, Biden’s executive order will direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “build on the minimum staffing standards […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Thursday reviewed multiple updates with skilled nursing operators, with agency officials discussing Minimum Data Set changes and the Five-Star Rating System, along with a rundown of changes to its proposed rule. CMS is planning to re-specify some of the measures listed in Five-Star, as they’re tied […]
The federal government on Monday proposed its payment rate update to skilled nursing facility (SNF) reimbursements for fiscal 2024, which includes a net increase of 3.7%, or approximately $1.2 billion, in Medicare Part A payments to SNFs. No updates were issued on staffing minimums. That rate increase from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services […]
The latest version of the MDS Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) manual released early Monday contains “substantial revisions,” according to a statement issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In keeping with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act), the new draft includes standardized assessment items that need to […]
Medicaid revenue per patient day (RPPD) for skilled nursing facilities is at an all-time high. That’s according to the latest data from NIC MAP Vision, which released its new skilled nursing monthly report on March 30. Despite this new benchmark being reached, Medicaid rates still often are not high enough to cover the cost of […]
Nursing home spending was among the highest compared to other health care categories at the beginning of this year, increasing by 9.2% in January, while the sector’s earnings were also ahead of hospitals and ambulatory care. That’s according to Health Sector Economic Indicators (HSEI) briefs compiled by Altarum, a nonprofit research and consulting organization serving […]
Given increasing complexities in payment systems and intensifying financial pressures, more nursing home providers are hiring leaders with a specialized and sophisticated focus on reimbursement. Even smaller operators are seeing the value of these positions, which demand a mix of financial and clinical acumen, and a C-suite mindset. Valerie Taylor, for one, became a corporate […]
As resident falls are still a primary source of financial loss for long-term care providers, researchers and tech companies are continuing to develop and improve on tools that predict the risk of falls. The latest offering in clinical tools that predict falls is a risk prediction model aiming to identify residents of nursing homes at […]
Democratic lawmakers this week penned a letter urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure workers aren’t overburdened with high caseloads and inadequate support. The legislators, led by U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Tex.), also called on CMS to establish robust nursing home staffing standards to ensure residents receive […]
As the nursing home industry passes the anniversary of sweeping reform initiatives by the Biden Administration, the proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) budget for 2024 includes new dollars to strengthen federal oversight of the industry. Specifically, the proposal seeks to reserve about $566 million for CMS Survey and Certification Program funding, a […]
Nursing homes will have an opportunity to test out coding prior to Minimum Data Set changes slated for October, and receive pre-recorded video training this spring, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shared in an open door forum Thursday. The videos will deliver foundational knowledge necessary to understand the new items and guidance, […]
The White House singled out potential harm to nursing homes in its push for more details on the Republican plan to balance the federal budget. The comments from the Biden Administration come after GOP leaders pledged to create a plan to balance the budget within a decade. Details on how that would be accomplished have […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Wednesday outlined the biggest waivers tied to the public health emergency – including those linked to the three-day inpatient stay requirement and temporary nurse aides – would indeed be ending on May 11. Any sort of permanent implementation of these waivers, would need to be carried […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Monday a proposed rule to require nursing homes to disclose more information regarding their ownership and management, including information related to assets held by real estate investment trusts (REITs) and private equity firms. Nursing homes will be expected to disclose this information as part of the […]
Rising interest rates are inflicting pain on the skilled nursing sector, with tough discussions between capital providers and operators to come in 2023. But with more sophisticated operators serving higher-acuity residents than in the past, and Covid-19 changing perceptions of “stroke of the pen risk,” investors see an industry with attractive long-term prospects. “I’ve been […]
Following the Biden administration’s plans to end the public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, leaders at Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) are bullish that state assistance will create a soft landing. Ensign CEO Barry Port has seen operators in the sector bolstered by enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding during the pandemic; this federally […]
In an effort to make nursing home ownership information more transparent and readily available to the public, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started compiling ownership data on Care Compare. But, the agency’s web-based tool falls short of transparency and ease of access goals, according to a study published by the U.S. Government […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has decided to take action on transitions in care – specifically Medicare Advantage (MA) plans diverting care to home health instead of skilled nursing – after years of skilled nursing industry and consumer feedback. CMS last month took steps to address the trend with a proposed rule […]
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